


The Alligator Expert

by satanic_panic



Category: The X-Files
Genre: I abandoned the plot in favour of writing the romance tbh, M/M, Old Friends, Some Plot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-08
Updated: 2020-12-08
Packaged: 2021-03-09 19:28:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,718
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27951584
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/satanic_panic/pseuds/satanic_panic
Summary: Fox meets an old friend when he's sent off to look for a killer alligator.
Relationships: Fox Mulder/Reader
Comments: 23
Kudos: 1





	The Alligator Expert

While Scully was off consulting doctors and nurses about the new case that they were working, Fox had decided to go and see the local alligator expert to consult them about whether or not their area of expertise would help with it; a string of murders that seemed to match the description of a very large alligator at large within a local lake, hailed by the local papers as a monster with no explanation of how it was hunting and killing people or why. 

The small yet cosy office stank of misted vivariums and wet dog fur, but Fox did his best to not let it go to his head as he pushed open the door and drew his badge. 

"I'm Agent-" 

"Fox." You beamed, looking up at him and immediately taking his breath away without even noticing it; he had not seen you in years, his long lost… he couldn't really call it love, it was more of a crush. But fuck, you were just as handsome as ever, and his breath hitched as you got up from your desk to go in for a hug. "It's been years…" 

Fox swallowed thickly, awkwardly hugging you back as he sighed, biting his lip as he gently pushed you away, clearing his throat. "It's good to see you again, (y/n), but… I'm working. I'm, uh, I'm investigating some murders in the area and-" 

"It's about the gators," you smiled, nodding, you shrugged as you took a seat at your desk and gestured to the seat in front of you, the dog that slept beside you raised his head, sniffing the air before stretching and padding over to Fox, laying his head on his lap. You nearly grinned. "Fox, this is Rusty, he helps me with my research during the breeding season for alligators - he's specially trained for finding nests." You leaned back in your seat, resting your feet upon your desk. "But, I'm guessing that you're here to ask me about whether or not an alligator could do such a thing, right?" 

"Right," Fox nodded, scratching the Kangal Shepherd's ear. "Do you?" 

You pursed your lips, thinking about it for a second before shrugging. "If it was big enough, I don't see why not." 

"Big enough?" Fox asked, furrowing his brows. 

"Sure, I mean, alligators don't usually prey on humans, but if it was big enough, then I don't see why it wouldn't want to find a different source of food," you explained, "think about a lion, you wouldn't expect it to eat mice, would you?" 

He shook his head, licking his lips and swallowing thickly. "How big would it need to be?" 

Again, you thought for a second before you sighed and looked up at the ceiling. "Around fifteen, maybe sixteen, foot. Or bigger… I'm sorry, I'm, uh, I'm a bit distracted by you." 

"By me?" He questioned with a slightly broken voice. 

"It's been years," you chuckled. "Fox, I… even after all these years, you're still so fucking handsome." You got up as you ran a hand down your face and looked into one of the vivariums. A small lizard came to the glass. "Y'know, I had the biggest crush on you back when we first met - you were the most handsome man I'd ever seen and…" you looked over at Fox again. "You still are." 

Fox couldn't believe what he was hearing, struggling to keep the smile from his face as his heart pounded in his chest, his throat felt clogged and sticky, as if the words clung to the grooves of his oesophagus and refused to budge; he had always thought that you were out of his league, he had always thought that a man like you deserved so much better than a man like him, but here you were, calling him handsome, admitting to having a crush on him, and he was incredibly caught off guard. "Y'know, I had a crush on you, too… but I always thought you were out of my league." 

A scoff left your mouth as you went around and checked the vivariums, occasionally pausing to give Rusty a scratch under the jaw or on the ear. "Please, if anything, you were out of my league, I was… I was nowhere near your league." 

"Why don't we continue this conversation later?" Fox asked, standing up and crossing the room to you, his hand landing between your shoulder blades as he smiled uneasily. "I mean… there's a coffee shop nearby, right? Maybe we could go there and talk." 

"I'd like that," you agreed. "Should we say one o'clock tomorrow afternoon?" 

"Yeah," Fox smiled a little bit more easily, warming up and letting his anxiety cool off. "That… that sounds like a plan. I'll tell my partner, I think she's got a call with her girlfriend at that time, so it works out perfectly." 

"I'll see you, then, Foxy." 

𓆌𓆌𓆌

That night, you couldn't sleep, tossing and turning as Rusty slept soundly at the end of your bed, you could hardly wait to see Fox again, having wanted to tell him how you had felt for so long; you had never felt for anyone the way you had done for him, and although he lived so far away now, although he was so much more handsome and so much more out of your league, you couldn't deny that you were already thinking about asking him out. Sure, he would be gone as soon as his case was closed, but you didn't want to wait for years until the opportunity next arose to tell him that you… well, it wasn't love, more of a crush, really. 

You sighed, getting out of the bed and stretched before tugging on your clothes from the previous day; you made your way to the door, tapping your thigh before you let out a whistle. 

"C'mon, old sport, let's go for a walk, eh?" 

Thudding, Rusty jumped from the bed before happily trotting behind you, only daring to sneak to your side once you were out and on the street - he never walked on a lead, he didn't need to, and you weren't exactly worried about him going after another dog when it was ten to five in the morning and the skies were still black with a few silver grins from the stars. You stuffed your hands in your pockets as you walked beside the large dog, which trotted quite happily beside you, his tail wagging until he stopped dead in his tracks and began to bark; the sound was low and deep, almost like thunder, and you stopped beside him as you furrowed your brows - there was nobody around, not another soul in sight, and it made you swallow thickly as you laid your hand on the dog's head. 

"Rusty, there's nothing here, there-" 

"(y/n)?" a familiar voice called out, but before you could answer, a nervous and tired looking Fox Mulder stepped closer, smiling anxiously as he rubbed the back of his neck. "I thought it was you…" 

"Sorry about Rusty," you frowned, watching as the dog approached the agent with a wagging tail, sniffing around his shoes before huffing and headbutting his hand to ask for a smooth or two. "He doesn't normally bark except when he finds a gator nest." 

Fox shrugged, not even needing to bend down as he patted the dog's head. "It's fine… it made me jump a little, but then again, everyone's always telling me I need to get out more." 

"Same here," you chuckled softly, nodding curtly. "What are you doing up so late?" 

"I couldn't sleep," he admitted with a casual shrug, as if insomnia had been an old friend. "You?" 

"Same thing… you wanna walk with us?" You asked, offering him your arm, and when he took it, you felt your heart soar within the confines of your rib cage. "You're gonna leave once you've solved the case, aren't you?" 

Fox nodded, leaning into you slightly. "You know I have to, (y/n)... even if I didn't want to, my job is in Washington." 

You leaned back into him, evening things out as you placed your hand over his. "I know, I know, I just… I've always regretted not telling you how I felt all those years ago and I… fuck, forget it." 

"No," he hummed, shaking his head. "Tell me, please?" 

"I didn't wanna wait until I was half dead to tell you that I had the biggest crush on you," you chuckled at your own stupidity. "And that, y'know… if you weren't so out of my league, I'd ask you out." 

"I keep telling you, you're the one that's out of my league," he replied, "look at yourself - you're an expert in a field you love, you live in an amazing place, you're easily the hottest guy here and-" 

"Shut up," you playfully slapped his hand. "You say… you say that shit, Fox, but we all know that I ain't no good." 

"You are, though," he pressed, taking a quick look around before slowly backing you up against a wall, but Rusty was quick to grab his coat and tug it. "I was gonna kiss your owner, but thank you." 

Rusty replied by huffing in Fox's face while you laughed. 

"You were gonna kiss me?" You asked, raising a brow and holding onto the lapels of his coat. 

"I was," Fox admitted, looking at your lips for a moment. 

"C'mon, then, cowboy, show me what you got." You whispered, letting him grip the collar of your shirt as he backed you up against the wall again, practically slamming you into it as he grabbed your face harshly and kissed you hard; you were quick to kiss back, moving your hands to cradle his face as you clung on tightly and squeezed your eyes shut. It was hard and harsh and desperate and needy and heavy, but it was exactly what you both needed, and when you pulled away, all you could do was look into Fox's eyes and smile. "You don't know how long I've been waiting for that to happen." 

"Neither do you," he whispered, gently kissing your lips once more. "Can I still have coffee with you tomorrow?" 

"Yeah," you grinned, breathless. "So long as we can do that again." 


End file.
